LAGOS – Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), have arrested a cleaner at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja Lagos, Ohiagu Sunday, who leads a drug syndicate at the international wing of the airport.
NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Mr. Femi Babafemi, in a statement, yesterday, said the suspect was arrested on Tuesday, August 23, following the arrest of an intending passenger on Airpeace flight to Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE), Obinna Jacob Osita, who was arrested with three bags, two of which contained eight blocks of Cannabis sativa, weighing 4.25kg concealed in cassava product, gari and crayfish.
Babafemi said, one other member of the airport syndicate, who works with Ohiagu has also been arrested while operatives are after another suspect.
He said: “Investigations revealed that a Dubai-based drug dealer recruited Obinna, a 42-year-old native of Anambra State to traffic the drugs and equally contracted Ohiagu, a 34-year-old airport cleaner from Imo State to create access for the unhindered passage of the trafficker.
“The drug syndicate invasion, which is the first drug arrest at the new terminal of the MMIA comes on the heels of the seizure of a consignment of bottles of viju and fearless energy drinks used to conceal skunk for export to Dubai, UAE through the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) export shed on Monday, August 15.
“A freight agent has already been arrested in connection with the seizure and more investigations are still going on.
“In the same vein, an attempt by a syndicate to export illicit drugs through the Lagos airport was on Wednesday, August 24, foiled during an outward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airline to Oman via Addis Ababa.
“A suspect Jonah Chukwuemeka was arrested with a total of 1,995 tramadol tablets with a gross weight of 900 grammes hidden in locust beans in his luggage.
“The bag containing the illicit substance was handed over to him at the airport by one Olagunju Abbas, who was promptly arrested.”
Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa ( Retd), who commended officers for the arrests and seizures, charged them and their compatriots across the country not to rest on their oars.
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